Thursday, June 22, 2017

Nepa Chhen Organizes Ani Choying Concert in Portland

By Dr Rabin Man Shakya, Advisor, Nepa Chhen.

A concert by spiritual
singer Ani Drolma Choying "Healing Melodies from the Himalayas" was
organized by Nepa Chhen - a nonprofit Nepalese community organization in Oregon
- at Central Lutheran Church, Portland on June 18, 2017.

Daya Shakya speaking on the occasion

Under the theme of
"Unity and Hope", the Himalayan melodies concert sponsored by Nepa
Chhen was amazing, unique and unprecedented. That was the conclusive view of
some of the audience - both Nepalese as well as Americans - about the concert.

In fact, it was not just
a concert. Charya dances performed by the artistes of Nritya Mandala
Mahavihara, Portland was also presented before the start of Ani Choying
concert.

The unique Charya dance
is performed by the Bajracharya Guvajus at the Buddhist Mahaviharas of the
Kathmandu valley during the important ritual and religious ceremonies of the
Shakyas and Bajracharyas.

The unique and amazing Charya dance on the
occasion was performed by the artistes of Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara:
Helen Appel, Anna Shrushtova, Linda Marshall, Stacy Roderica and Alex Hirch.

After the group
Charya dance, another fabulous ritual dance "Green Tara" was
performed by artiste Uppa Shakya.

A number of Nepalese Portlanders, Nepalese living in other cities of Oregon and
numerous local Americans showed up at the concert program of Ani Choying. Also
present at the concert program, were officials and activists of Nepa Chhen,
Nepali Association of Oregon and NRN NCC USA Oregon Chapter.

The other members of the Ani team were Nhyoo Bajracharya, a noted music
composer, Ramesh Maharjan, a flautist and Gopal Rasaili, a guitarist.

It is to be noted that Ani Choying was appointed UNICEF Nepal's first ever
national ambassador in 2014.

According to Ani herself, her songs are based on Himalayan Buddhist tradition.
The day on which the concert was organized in Portland coincided with the
Fathers Day. Ani Choying wished Happy Fathers Day to all the audience, adding
"But a mother is the best friend of kids and that a mother faces a lot of
agonies raising her kids."

On the occasion, Ani presented a song "Aama Aama Bhaner Hunna"
dedicated to the mothers of the world. It is to be noted that Ani entered
monastic life in Nepal as a means of escape from her physically abusive father.

During the concert, Ani Choying gave a spirited rendition of "Phulko
Aankhama Phulai Sansar." Judging by the songs presented during the
concert, it is quite obvious that there is unprecedented softness in the voice
of Buddhist rockstar nun.

Ani's songs in the concert were basically meditational melodies. Her song
"Batuwa" was very compassionate and thought-provoking.

Likewise, during the concert, Ani also chanted "Om Mani Padme Hum",
the Bodhisattwo of compassion.

No doubt, Ani has become a house-hold name in Nepal for her famous melody
"Phulko Aankhama". Among 12 pop albums to her credit, some were also
for sale during the concert.

Addressing the concert, Buddhist rockstar nun Ani said that her team is
spreading word of wisdom of Lord Buddha through spiritual music.

Lord Buddha was born in Nepal and we are proud of this, she said adding
"Rather than harping on it, this is the time for the Nepalese to do some
soul-searching and ask themselves how far we have translated and implemented
the Buddhist philosophy into our day to day practical life.

The program host on the occasion was advisor of Nepa Chhen (NC) Daya Shakya who
said that it was an honest endeavor of the Nepalese community organization to
provide a glimpse of Nepalese culture to the Portlanders.

According to CNN, Ani has performed around the world -- including to an
audience of 20,000 in Tibet last Easter -- counts superstars like Tina Turner
and Tracy Chapman among her fans, and her biography "Singing For
Freedom", first published in French in 2008, has been translated into 15
languages.